I would imagine most of us have been affected by a loved one who is facing the issues of aging. For me, I invited my beloved Grandpa to move into my home the last few months of his life. My once strong, creative, intelligent Pappa now had Parkinson's Disease, Congestive Heart Failure, and Dementia.

The last was the most difficult to deal with. Once bright, vibrant, and full of fun, Grandpa now lived in a world where nothing that made sense to him, made sense to us. Often, he was wonderfully Pappa, regaling us with stories of the military, growing up, and life in the Depression. These are stories I had heard all my life. He even taught my son to read.  Other times, though, he would sink into an abyss of foggy forgetfulness. He didn't know who my husband was, and they had always been very close. My gentle bear Pappa yelled at me and called me names. He would forget to pull up his pants. Once, he walked out of our house and into our car, where he sat for a couple of hours while we searched for him. It was just incredibly sad.

I think this is what a lot of the families of Alzheimer's patients must experience. In fact, my husband's Grandma is now hospitalized, and my best friend's mom, is in a nursing home. Both are struggling with this. Grandma no longer knows how to speak, and has difficulty expressing her basic needs. Lucy is more cognitive sometimes, and it seems as though she knows what's happening to her. It's just a sad thing to be a part of.

Funding is needed to assist families dealing with Alzheimer's, and to further research. This is where you come in. Please visit Alzheimer's Memory Walk to learn more about the Alzheimer's Memory Walk, and to get involved in funding, walking, or managing a walk team.